Adaptor for electric-light wall switch for operation by small children

ABSTRACT

Adaptor has guide member attachable to wall switch, and an operating member vertically reciprocable in guide member to operate switch button between on and off positions by a child grasping downward extension of operating member.

nited States Patent 1191 radford 1111 3,839,615 1 51 Oct. 1, 1974ADAPTOR FOR ELECTRIC-LIGHT WALL SWITCH FOR OPERATION BY SMALL CHILDREN[76] Inventor: James M. Bradford, PO. Box 1223,

Akron, Ohio 44309 22 Filed: Oct. 31, 1973 211 Appl. No.2 411,579

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.223,239, Feb. 3,

1973, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 200/331 [51 l Int. Cl. H0lh 3/02 [58] Field of Search200/331, 330; 74/544 /////////////A- Vila? [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,493,581 1/1950 Hood 200/331 3,004,128 10/1961Mikolajcski 200/331 Primary ExaminerRobert K. Schaefer AssistantExaminerWilliam J. Smith 5 7 ABSTRACT Adaptor has guide memberattachable to wall switch, and an operating member verticallyreciprocable in guide member to operate switch button between on and offpositions by a child grasping downward extension of operating member.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENTEB 3,839,615 sum 10; 3

5 4 Z A w PAIENIEB snmsor 3 all will Z 5 9 3 1 m M B 5 s Mg /5' iADAPTOR FOR ELECTRIC-LIGHT WALL SWITCH FOR OPERATION BY SMALL CHILDRENThis application is a continuation-impart of US. application Ser. No.223,239, Filed Feb. 3, 1972.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION In the past it has been the known practice tolocate wall switches a height of about 4% feet from the floor, which isout of reach of small children for operating the same. Because of thiscondition such children either had to call for the help of others, ordrag a chair or stool to stand on for turning a room light on or off,sometimes with damaging results, especially in the dark of night.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to providea simple, easy to install, adaptor unit of the character described on astandard wall switch, to have an operating part within easy reach of asmall child standing on the floor.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device of the characterdescribed, having a safe auxiliary light simultaneously operable toindicate on and off conditions of the adaptor.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following briefdescription and the accompanying drawings:

Of the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an adaptor unit operatively mountedin association with a flip-trigger wall switch in off position, inaccordancewith the inventron.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. I but with saidswitch in on" position, and with parts of the adaptor unit partly brokenaway and in sectron.

FIG. 3 is a front view, on an enlarged scale, of a modified form ofguide member or base for the adaptor unit generally as shown in FIGS. 1and 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 4l4 of FIG. 3, onthe same scale as FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front view generally corresponding to FIG. 1, and on thesame scale but illustrating use of the modified form of guide membershown in FIGS. 3 and 4 mounted for use in the manner generally as shownin FIG. 1 with operating structure slidably mounted in the guide member.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5, on the samescale.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings the numeral 10 designatesgenerally an adaptor unit, includ' ing a channel-shaped guide member 11of rigid material such as hard plastic, wood, or the like, and anelongated strip or operating element 12 of similar rigid material, atleast the upper portion of which is vertically slidably received in theguide member. The guide member 11 may be secured against a standardswitch cover plate 13, to have the channel 14 of member 11 openingoutwardly, as by means of screws 15,15 of known type which secure theplate 13 to an electric light switch box 16 mounted in the wall W of aroom, and with a switch button B projected through a rectangular opening17 in the base wall 18 of the guide member. The switch button B, inmoving between off and on positions thereof, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,respectively, is

adapted to carry the elongated strip 12 with it. Conversely, verticalreciprocation of the strip 11 will, through engagement of spaced top andbottom ends of the opening 17, operate switch 16 between the offposition shown in FIG. 1, and an on position shown in FIG. 2, in theknown manner of such switches. Opening 19,19 are provided in the basewall 18, to facilitate affixing the guide member 11 and the plate 13 tothe switch box 16 by means of the screws 15, as best shown in FIG. 2.Spaced inturned lips or guide walls 21,21 on the guide member 11otherwise slidably retain the strip 12 therein for limited verticalmovement of strip 12, to operate switch button B with a slight degree oflost motion movement of said strip 12.

A decorative knob 22 in the form of a hollow clown s head, for example,may be removably affixed to the lower end of the strip 12, to contain abattery operated flashlight bulb 23 and suitable battery means for thesame.

The battery means 24 may include one or more flashlight batteries 24aelectrically connected in a suitable wiring circuit including a movablecontact 24b. For operating contact 24b, an elongated element 25 ofrelatively stiff wire is reciprocably received through a pas sage 25aextending lengthwise through the strip 12 to have a lower end portionpositioned'for engagement with the movable contact 24b. The upper endportion of the element 25 may be formed into a rectangular loop 25bthrough which the switch button B is received, so that with on and offoperation of the latter, the wire-element 25 will be reciprocated withrespect to the strip 12, with requisite lost-motion, to disengage andengage the movable switch 24a with the positioned end or ends of thebattery means 24. As an example, the switch 24b normally may be closed,to maintain the bulb 23 in lit condition, when the strip 12 is in theswitch of condition shown in FIG. 1. Conversely, the switch on conditionwill be indicated when the strip 12 is moved upward to move the button Bupward correspondingly, as shown in FIG. 2, wherein the element 25 hasbeen drawn up by button B to open switch contact 24b.

In use of the adaptor unit 10 mounted in operative relationship to lightswitch, in the off position as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, theoperating button B will be in the down condition indicated, and the bulb23 will be lit to make the transluscent or transparent clown s head 22glow, thereby tgindicate to a child that the electric switch is off, aswell as to indicate the location of the switch in a dark room. The childcan easily grasp the clowns head 22 to urge the strip 12 up, and therebyflip switch button B to turn on the room light, and at the same time,through opening of the switch 24b, turning off the battery operated bulb23. Conversely, the child may grasp the clown s head 22 to urge thestrip 12 downwardly, thereby to turn off the room light, while at thesame time turning on the signal light 23 of the clowns head 22.

Referring to the modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 ingeneral, and to FIGS. 3 and 4 in particular, there is shown a modifiedform of guide member 30 corresponding to the member 18 of FIGS. 1 and 2.The guide member 30, however, is designed to be of stronger, one-piece,tubular construction to withstand hard use possible during operation ofthe switch operating strip 12a by children as previously described. Theguide member is also better adapted for economically molding the same ofhard plastic material, such as vinyl plastic, or hard rubber.

With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the onepiece base member 30is adapted to be economically molded in known manner in a two-part moldto have laterally spaced sidewalls 31,31, and outwardly presented,longitudinally spaced end cross-members 32 and 33 extended between theside walls at opposite ends of the base member. Outwardly presentedcross-members 34 and 35 can be provided intermediate the longitudinallyspaced rear cross-pieces 32 and 33, to increase the strength of the basemember. Cross-members 36 and 37, extending between the side-walls 31further to strengthen the base member, and are centrally apertured at15a,l5a for screw attachment of the base member to a wall switch box 16,as shown in FIGS. & 6, and for purpose generally as described above inconnection with FIGS. 1 and 2.

In other words, the inner and outer wall means of the adaptor is shown,in FIGS. 3 to 6, as each being a series of spaced cross-members definingrectangular openings between the same, whereby the spaced outercrossmembers 32,33,34 and 35 define series of rectangular openings whichmay be somewhat larger than the opposing inner cross-members 35,36 and41 aligned therewith. This arrangement not only facilitates mounting ofthe base member 30 on the wall switch box 16, as shown in FIGS. 5 & 6,but also makes it possible to mold base member 30 of synthetic plasticresin material in known manner, and with economical use of a simple twopart mold. As before, the hollow guide member 30, with the elongatedoperating element 12 slidably received therethrough, may be firmlyaffixed to the switch plate 13, by first maintaining the element 12 sothat the two holes 19 therein are aligned with holes l5a,I5a in the endcross-members 36 and 37, for threaded reception of the two screws intoscrew holes in the switch box 16. During this guide-member attachingprocedure the switch button B is adapted to be maintained projectingthrough the hole or slot 40 in a central cross-piece 41 of the guidemember, between the side-walls 31 thereof. With the base member 30 thusfirmly affixed, vertical reciprocation of the operating element 12therein will be effective to pivot or move the usual wall switch buttonB between on and off" positions (See FIGS. 5 and 6).

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An adaptor for an electric light wall switch, having a fixed partprovided with screw aperture means and a movable switching button, andbeing adapted to be located at about standard height on the wall above afloor of a room, said adaptor comprising; a one-piece guide memberadapted to overlie the wall switch and including laterally'spaced sidewalls inner and outer wall means integrally connecting between said sidewalls to define a channel of rectangular cross-section through the guidemember; and an elongated operating element including an extent thereofwhich is of cross-section adapted to be complementally slidably receivedin said channel; said inner wall means including opposite endcross-members of given shape and size, appropriately apertured forreception of screw means therethrough, for said screw attachment of saidguide member to the switch part; and a central cross-member, of givenshape and size, having opposite exposed ends defining openings betweenthe same and the end cross-members; said central cross-member beingapertured for movable reception of the switching button therethrough tobe operable by sliding movement of said operating element and move theswitching button between on and off positions; said operating elementhaving an extension therefrom adapted to extend downwardly of the fixedswitch part to be within ready reach of a small child for manuallyoperating the switching button from the floor; said outer wall meansincluding a series of longitudinally spaced cross-members, definingouter openings of given shape and size between next adjacent said outercross-members, and the defined outer openings being approximately thesize and shape of the respective said central and opposite endcross-members.

2. An adaptor as in claim 1, said defined outer openings in said outerwall means, and the respective said opposite end and centralcross-members, being of rectangular shapes.

3. An adaptor as in claim 2, said outer openings in said outer wallmeans being superposed with reference to the corresponding opposite endand central crossmembers.

1. An adaptor for an electric light wall switch, having a fixed partprovided with screw aperture means and a movable switching button, andbeing adapted to be located at about standard height on the wall above afloor of a room, said adaptor comprising; a one-piece guide memberadapted to overlie the wall switch and including laterally spaced sidewalls inner and outer wall means integrally connecting between said sidewalls to define a channel of rectangular cross-section through the guidemember; and an elongated operating element including an extent thereofwhich is of cross-section adapted to be complementally slidably receivedin said channel; said inner wall means including opposite endcross-members of given shape and size, appropriately apertured forreception of screw means therethrough, for said screw attachment of saidguide member to the switch part; and a central cross-member, of givenshape and size, having opposite exposed ends defining openings betweenthe same and the end crossmembers; said central cross-member beingapertured for movable reception of the switching button therethrough tobe operable by sliding movement of said operating element and move theswitching button between on and off positions; said operating elementhaving an extension therefrom adapted to extend downwardly of the fixedswitch part to be within ready reach of a small child for manuallyoperating the switching button from the floor; said outer wall meansincluding a series of longitudinally spaced cross-members, definingouter openings of given shape and size between next adjacent said outercross-members, and the defined outer openings being approximately thesize and shape of the respective said central and opposite endcross-members.
 2. An adaptor as in claim 1, said defined outer openingsin said outer wall means, and the respective said opposite end andcentral cross-members, being of rectangular shapes.
 3. An adaptor as inclaim 2, said outer openings in said outer wall means being superposedwith reference to the corresponding opposite end aNd centralcross-members.